Chemicals racket busted, fire arms seized

Bidar, Aug 6 (UNI) Police today claimed to have busted a major 'chemicals racket' with the arrest of six people and seizure of 40 barrels of stolen chemicals, six fire arms and lethal weapons, in a roadside dhaba on Hyderabad-Pune National Highway at Humnabad here last night.

Talking to UNI here, District Superintendent of Police A S Rao said the police had received complaints from chemical manufacturing companies in Hyderabad that their consignments were stolen while being transported.

Acting on a tip off, the police raided the dhaba and seized the chemicals worth Rs 60 lakh. Two riffles, a single barrel and a double barrel gun, a pistol, a revolver, an air gun and three knives were also seized in the raid.

The arrested were identified as Nagendrapratap Singh alias Thakur, and five of his accomplices.

The police had raided and seized chemicals from the same place during December last year. However, Thakur had escaped at that time.

''We are not sure of the type of chemicals, whether they are used in making explosives. Samples had been sent for testing,'' the official added.

UNI DP RS NY KN1830